บท 171: Chapter 171: The Sleeper
[3rd POV]
They had been in this world for eight hours, and Shinoa who had seen a lot didn't show a hint of fatigue.
She had long noticed that she could go days without sleep and still feel fine if necessary.
They discussed the plan and split it into groups during this time, but she didn't object.
She didn't really care where she was told to go as long as Administrator-kun was okay with it.
This world reminded her of her own... where there was also ruin, fear, and a glimmer of hope that grew into a beacon upon Tony's arrival.
She last visited her sister about two or three months ago, and she was doing well with Tony.
However, Shinoa couldn't stay there for long, torn apart by feelings inside, and even her usual smile would crack, and her jokes would stop.
People like her are often called war children, kids who have witnessed unimaginable horrors... but in her home world, that was everyone.
"Are you okay?"
She heard the concern in Winter's voice.
She didn't like it when people worried about her because it brought back feelings of weakness and helplessness.
She's not like that anymore, and she's strong now.
"Any doubts?"
Shinoa smiled and looked at Winter.
"Oh, our Snow Queen is worried about me? Don't bother, I'm fine. Think about little Hermione instead..."
"Actually, I'm worried too."
She responded, stepping out from behind Winter.
"And Erina, Rias, and Lena."
"Great... should we have a group hug?"
Shinoa suggested, trying to hide her fears.
"Shinoa, we're with you, and you don't need to push us away and deal with your feelings alone."
Erina expressed her opinion, which was somewhat surprising to her.
"Yes, don't look at me like that. We're all connected by chat and have been talking for so long? Of course, I consider everyone close friends, ahem. I'm not just interested in food, you know."
"I never thought that, but this is definitely a new experience. Shall we hug?"
Shinoa suggested, and Erina nodded and threw herself into the pink-haired girl's arms.
Hermione and Rias joined them from the side, and then Winter and Lena joined too.
"This world reminds me of mine..."
Shinoa finally said what had been bothering her, surrounded by the concentrated warmth of several bodies.
"And I don't know what to feel about it... How many distorted worlds are there where humanity is almost destroyed? Tony would say there are infinite worlds like that, just as there are worlds where everything is fine..."
"And he would be right."
Rias nodded.
"Yep, that's always like my brother."
Lena smirked.
"But we can help bring back the beauty of this world... and you know, we can help yours too."
"Help?"
Shinoa's eyes widened, and everyone else listened attentively.
"Yes, we have such powers... ordinary people can't even dream of! But we don't have to use them only in fights like savages. We can bring light and hope to people."
I've been thinking about it, honestly... What do you think of founding a joint fund to help affected planets and civilizations? With our connections, money, and experience, we can create havens of peace and hope in every such world. We could heal the sick, provide food in vast quantities, and restore civilizations to their former glory."
"That sounds very ambitious."
Winter commented, and soon, the hug session ended.
"I like it. I have tons of spells that I just don't use. For example, there's a spell that increases crop yields or speeds up their growth hundreds of times or spells for building houses..."
"I'm sure my family's library has something useful too. We could ask Tony-kun to help open a portal to my world so that demons and angels could help us."
"See, we already have some kind of plan."
Lena nodded towards Hermione.
"We don't necessarily have to spend all our time in such worlds. The main thing is to automate the process, and everything will be fine."
"And what should we call this... fund?"
Erina asked, crossing her arms under her chest.
"World Rescue? Peace? Rainbow? Peace and Rainbow?"
Shinoa suggested, who surprisingly liked the idea of healing her world.
"We'll need to think more about the name. But for now, we need to protect this world."
Rias said, tossing her fiery red hair.
...
The reparation for the plan took several hours, involving personnel deployment and communication setup, but it was time to begin operations and dismantle Darkseid's work.
Shazam, Superboy, a clone of Superman, and Cyborg would take down the machine.
The latter was essentially a cyborg—a man of steel who underwent surgical modifications, replacing flesh with techno-organic parts.
The second work off the coast of England would be handled by a team of Batgirl and Batwoman, along with Shinoa, Erina, and a couple of heroes.
The third group, Rias, Hermione, Winter, and Lena, would head to the third machine in the Congo to get the attention of the Parademons.
Meanwhile, I would lead another squad including Constantine, Robin, Etrigan, and Superman with Lois to the portal atop LexCorp Tower...
However, I believed we'd meet up with them soon because the girls could quickly disassemble the machines.
Indeed, that's how it played out.
As soon as we received information from "The Sleeper" Lois' informant inside Darkseid's ranks, that he had gone to Oa and wouldn't return soon, all three teams attacked the machines.
The first team took the longest, about seven minutes because Shazam had lost his leg to Parademons two years ago.
The other teams were much quicker.
...
Coast of England
"Those two are already there."
Shinoa noticed them, who awaited the signal to start the operation.
She stood atop the machine, a large metal elongated structure embedded into the ground, emitting pulses every thirty seconds that drew magma towards it.
"This looks daunting."
Erina grimaced at such "beauty".
They also spotted groups of Parademons resembling beetles with cybernetic prosthetics and weaponry from Apokolips.
"That's why we need to destroy it... signal received."
Shinoa took flight into the air, followed by Erina.
Batgirl put bombs that erupted, but the machine stood tall.
In the next moment, the machine was enveloped in a terrifyingly hot violet flame, and it began consuming the metal.
Meanwhile, Shinoa assisted Batgirl and Batwoman with a swing of her scythe, shattering a hundred-meter metal pillar supporting part of the machine.
With another strike to a different pillar, the entire machine collapsed with a thunderous crash.
"And you're a little..."
Shinoa's eyes lasers shot out to disintegrate Parademons for a moment.
"Nah, I prefer slicing them with my scythe."
She admitted.
...
Congo
"Signal received."
Winter nodded and glanced at Hermione, who immediately raised her Sacred Gear Staff.
"Then... Mortiferum infernali ignis turbo!"
After chanting the spell, a magical tornado began forming where the machine stood.
It grew larger and larger until it completely engulfed the hundred-meter machine.
The temperature inside seemed to rise a lot because of what looked like a star catching fire.
"Wow... just like in the movies."
Lena commented when watching hundreds of Parademons incinerate inside the tornado while the machine itself began to char and melt.
"Is it supposed to be getting bigger like this?"
Winter pointed out that the tornado now covered a part of the partially destroyed city next to the Harvester.
"Um, no."
Hermione shook a handful of hair and looked at her grimoire.
"According to my calculations, it... Oh, I didn't calculate that this would be a different world. Maybe magical energy behaves differently here, which is why the spell continues to sustain itself, incinerating everything in its path."
"I see... then I'll put an end to this."
Rias said uncertainly, raising her hands, which began to radiate destructive power.
"Let destruction reign."
Rias smiled as she sent a sphere forward.
The meter-wide energy sphere didn't quite fit in with the raging storm and the tornado destroying everything.
As it approached the tornado, a burst of destructive energy flashed, leaving behind a massive crater that swallowed half the city.
"Let destruction reign, seriously? Someone's been watching too much anime."
Lena raised an eyebrow, unable to hold back a smirk.
"But it did look cool nonetheless."
...
[Anthony's POV]
Metropolis
"So Doctor Fate didn't even intervene?"
I exclaimed, surprised by Constantine's words.
"No, he's like vanished or gone into hiding. Still hasn't shown up."
He shrugged... as LexCorp's were shooting at them.
According to the initial plan, we were supposed to deal with them more... deadly, but I simply put them all to sleep as they approached the building.
There's no sense in killing more of the few people left in this universe.
"King Shark, King Shark!"
King Shark pointed at our enemies, clacking his teeth as if he wanted to bite their heads off.
"Touch them with one finger, and I'll send you to the moon."
I warned him.
"Hey, take it easy on him... He means no harm."
Harley stepped in while petting King Shark's shoulder.
"Why are we even needed here then?"
Captain Boomerang asked.
"Just stand guard by the portal."
I shrugged.
"It's an important task."
Superman added, trying not to escalate the situation further.
"Oh, the girls handled it..."
I opened a portal in front of us, and the girls from my group emerged from there.
"How did it go?"
"Parademons appeared in large numbers at the portal in Congo."
Winter immediately reported.
"Then let's hurry to the upper floors."
We hurried up the stairs to the top floor, where Lex's office and the portal were located.
As we approached the main door leading to the room we needed... it exploded, and out came Lex in his armor.
"I'm afraid you don't have the proper clearance."
He said while aiming his weapons at us.
"Oh, Clark, I see you've gotten rid of Darkseid's gift..."
He noticed Superman now in his regular suit while hovering above the ground... but Lex's armor contained quite a bit of Kryptonite because Clark gritted his teeth and backed away.
"Lex?"
Lena uttered aloud.
"And who are you..."
She stopped short, and Robin took advantage, throwing a Batarang at him.
However, Lex easily dodged before shooting a net that wrapped him up and delivered an electric shock.
"Lena? But... this can't be... I saw you die..."
"We're from another Earth, and I'm glad to see you alive here."
Lena smiled as she approached him.
The Kryptonite didn't affect her due to her suit and ring.
"Careful, he's still a villain here, and he sold out to the New God."
I interjected while stepping forward as well.
"Family reunion, huh..."
"I don't know you."
Lex shook his head, still on guard.
"His name is Anthony Luthor, and he's your younger brother... on our world, we're both heads of LuthorCorp."
Lena explained.
"LuthorCorp? That's an outdated name. LexCorp sounds better."
Lex smirked.
"And I didn't sell out. I was surrounded, the battle was over, and I had to make a choice. Do you think I wanted to serve someone who wanted to destroy our planet and society?"
"I stayed and helped Lois to try and aid the rebellion. Clark, surprisingly, always found ways to win. So I banked on that."
"You're "The Sleeper"..."
Lois gasped when realization sank in.
"Exactly."
He nodded, then looked around as he found himself outside the robot.
"Magic..."
"Our... brother. Anthony, a God, and also an Archmage."
Lena shrugged.
I just moved his body out of the robot so he wouldn't cause any trouble.
"A God? Ah, the Luthors are Luthors, wherever they may be."
There was a hint of pride in his voice, but I sensed fear and uncertainty in his voice.
"No need to look at me like that, especially you, green-pants boy."
He addressed Robin who had been helped out of Raven's net.
"Alright, follow me. I know what you need, and the transporter is here. Brother and sister, let's talk more later. We have much to discuss, even if the situation isn't exactly favorable."
He paused briefly.
"Yes, not favorable at all..."
...
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